


More Than Just A Distraction.

by TheDarkestMindWithin



Category: British Actor RPF, Jaguar "British Villains" Commercial, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Come Eating, Dad Tom Hiddleston, F/M, Heartache, Older Man/Younger Woman, One Night Stands, Oral Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Shameless Smut, Smut, Teacher Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hiddleston Is A Sweetheart, Vaginal Sex, tags are a mess I'll fix them one day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2019-09-30 17:46:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17228492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkestMindWithin/pseuds/TheDarkestMindWithin
Summary: Tom is a (not so) newly divorced English Professor struggling to move on from his ex-wife, Bailey, while also co-parenting their six-year-old daughter, Lizzy.Valerie is a newly enrolled student at the University Tom tutors at, hoping to forget the tragedies of her early teens as she selects classes for the new term.The two meet by chance one night and what follows is what both agree to be far too cliché to be the real happily ever after that they had long given up on ever finding.





	1. Thomas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm rewriting and reposting this story.
> 
> Adding more smut and trying to make the writing better.
> 
> Hopefully it's still enjoyable and the core story's still the same so it's not that different from how it was meant to be originally.
> 
> Without Beta so any mistakes are mine.

* * *

_Tom_.

I take in the moment of peace, settling the dirty dishes in the sink and filling the kettle up with water for tea. Lizzy's happily playing in the living-room after dinner with Bails and Ben.

I can hear him too, laughing and chasing Lizzy and I burry the resentment I feel before it can spoil my mood.

"Can I help?" I snap out of my paused state at the sound of Bails voice, cheery and relaxed. I look over my shoulder at her, smiling, and shake my head.

"No, you cooked! Least I can do." I roll my sleeves up and turn the tap on, picking up a sponge as Bails comes and stands besides me.

"I can dry." I hum and start, Lizzy and Ben laughing surrounds us and sink back into resentment.

"I didn't realise how close they'd gotten." I murmur after several minutes of lapsed silence, Bails hums and dries the wineglass I'd passed her.

"Yeah, Ben's crazy about Lizzy." Bails smiles as her words twists my heart. She doesn't mean harm and neither does Ben but I can't stop them from hurting. I don't say anything, I just continue washing.

"He's been taking her to these art classes on Friday." Bails opens the conversation again, casual.

"She's mad about them! They do all sorts, uh, clay sculptures, watercolours. All sorts." Bails talks and I listen and absorb her words, if I try hard enough it's like going back in time, a few years, and I can almost pretend that she's the one taking Lizzy to the classes and not Ben but then I hear his laughter mix in with Lizzy's and I'm back in the moment.

"So, what do you think?" Bails looks at me with timid eyes and a nervous smile and I stare blankly at her. Something's been missed.

"Pardon?" I focus, pause washing the plate in my hands of the suds and Bails' face drops slightly.

"What d'you think? Would you mind?" She asks but I don't know the question.

"Think about what? The question?" I ask, Bails sighs heavily and turns back to drying the second wineglass.

"About Ben and I taking Lizzy up to meet Ben's parents. Just for the weekend, it's just they're so eager to meet Lizzy now and I didn't think you'd mind not having her for the weekend if you could have her for the week and-" Bails rants nervously while I work to keep my face neutral from any emotion.

As I try desperately to not think of this as another way Ben's replacing me in Lizzy's life. Another way he's in the picture and I'm not.

"Tom?" Bails calls for my attention delicately and I look back at her, face hopeful with an edge of disappointment already there.

"I mean they're not even her grandparents." The words leave my mouth before I can even think about them and Bails' face drops and she turns away from me.

"I mean, that's not really important is it? They just want to make her feel a part of their family, like theyve done with me." Bails says and I know I've fucked up. Should have just smiled and said yes and kept quiet.

"I just-" I sigh heavily and lean back against the counter, drying my hands off with a cloth as Bails chews her lip and tries not to glare at me.

"Is it a good idea?" Bails scoffs and shakes her head at me, aggravated as she scuffs her foot on the floor.

"We've talked about this, Tom. We've talked about it _so many times_. Gone over it, talked about it, _argued_ about it." Bails rants as her voice creeps closer to anger.

"I know we have, Bails. I know we have." I try to dampen her anger before it can flame but I doubt it works very much.

"It's been two years, Tom. A year and a half since I met Ben. I know it's hard to see him with her, to see them bonding but you're not being shut out. She's your daughter, you're her father. That's never going to change," Bails said gently despite the words feeling like daggers to my heart.

"I know." I said, fiddling with my wedding finger despite there being no ring there anymore. Old habits. Bails notices and it's like it's been a week since we divorced and not years.

"I've moved on, I need you to do the same." She doesn't mean it cruelly, doesn't mean it badly. I nod, silent.

"I'll try, I'm sorry." I promise softly as she closes the space between us and wraps her arms round me. She warm and smells of apples and cinnamon. My heart aches for her again but I just hug her back and let her go when it's time to.

"Thank you." She murmurs softly, her lips pecking my cheek chastely before stepping away from me, I smile at her but I know she sees through me and I shoo her away to join Ben and Lizzy in the next room.

I finish the dishes and tea alone. Taking the time to recollect myself before taking the tea and little cakes out to them.

"Daddy! You've got to come play with us!" Lizzy beamed, beckoning me to come join her by the coffee table the moment I'd put the tray drinks down.

I chuckled, grinning, as I wordlessly joined her on the floor, Lizzy immediately climbing into my lap as she took my free hand with hers and showed me her cards she was holding close to her chest, explaining the game in a hushed voice as I played along and nodded with rapt attention while Ben and Bails sniggered as they watch us.

* * *

 

"Tom? Could I have a word?" I'm on the last step of the staircase leading up to the rest of the house, Lizzy tucked away in bed having been given a bath and read several stories to. Ben catches me off guard and I'm hesitant even though there's no need to me.

I nodded wordlessly as I stepped off of the step and continued to the rack where my coat was hanging up.

Picking it up and skipping it on as I turned to give my whole attention to Ben.

He leant against the banister, fingers tapping on the top of the railing as he thought over his words, either choosing them so as to avoid having them come out wrong or considering if he should just come out and say whatever was on his mind.

"I'm a grown man, Ben. Whatever you have to say, you can say." Putting him out it his misery after several minutes of waiting for him to voice whichever ones he was considering had lapsed between us.

He responded by giving me an almost sheepish smile as he stood up straighter, clearing his throat as he brought his gaze to meet mine.

"I want to say thank you." He said, voice serious as I arched a brow at him, more than a bit clueless to as what he was thanking me for.

"For letting me be a part of Lizzy's life, there isn't much you could do when I started to see Bailey but there was with Lizzy, and rightfully so, and I'm utterly grateful that you've allowed me to build a bond with her. It is, really, far too good of you." He says it quickly, nervous and smiling every own and then. He tries to keep from tapping his fingers against the banister.

To keep from being to distracting as I chew over his words. Feeling an empty pit of guilt in my stomach as my earlier exchange with Bails rings in my ears.

Pointless and childish.

"I know it can't be easy to see me with Bailey and Lizzy, like I've taken your place, but I've not, and I would never try to-" I put the man out of his misery for the second time. Keep him from digging himself into an unintentional pit that he couldn't get out of.

"I understand what you're saying, or trying to, Ben and I appreciate you having the balls to say this to my face. I know I haven't been the most welcoming or accommodating man towards you, and for that I am sorry, but I hope we can be more friendly in the future?" I offer my hand and Ben accepts with a wide grin as I smile back.

"I'll see you next weekend, Ben. I hope Lizzy enjoys the trip." I say as we drop our hands I turn for the door. Ben takes a moment to process my words and he's thanking me and promising all sorts of souvenirs and photos from the trip. I laugh him off and head down the pathway to my parked Volvo.

I feel restless as I drive. Thinking about Bails and her lips on my skin. Something I hadn't felt in _so_ long. Hadn't thought I'd _feel_ ever again.

My skin itches and I know going back to my apartment for rest is a futile venture.

I turn off the road heading home and instead head for the city. Pursuing the craving for cheap scotch and a warm distraction.


	2. Valentina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A smutty chapter ahead!
> 
> Without Beta.

* * *

_Valerie_.

My heart pounds with the generic club music that blares over the dance floor. I dance with strangers while bodies rub against mine and I feel weightless. I'm just energy in this moment. I go back to the bar for another cheap vodka shot.

The place is packed, just like the dance floor. It's a good distraction and a good start to my first term of school.

Faceless bodies, lost hips and drunk hands. It's perfect and I bask in the freedom of the neon lights and thumping beat of music.

I'd come with some friends, well, flatmates, but through the night they'd all slowly dropped off. Probably for the best.

They suited the kind of bad mistakes that came from being swept away by alcohol-induced-bad-decisions. I wasn't, not really.

Although my attention had been caught by a somewhat tall, dark stranger downing scotch like water against the bar.

He noticed me too and smiled, the kind of smile that causes butterflies rather than disgust. He's older, that much is obvious, he's smartly dressed as doesn't strike me as one of those creepy guys who believe they're still young despite being in their mid-to-late-thirties.

This one, however, knows he's a bit old for the club scene but still fits despite this. I'm drawn to him in some way or another.

We stay together for the rest of the night. Barely any words exchanged except for filthy promises and unintelligible vows of devotion.

His hands caress my body with the experience of time. His lips demand my flesh with learnt precision. His body moves with mine in an effortless rhythm of brushes and beats.

I'm captivated by his freedom. The way his mouth feels on mine, teeth graze flesh and press promised bruises into my flesh. I'm his, if only for the night.

We end up in the back of a cab without either of us ever deciding we needed one. His hand runs over my exposed knee and thigh with promises of what's to come and his mouth continues to lure me deeper.

We go to his place. It's a wordless decision. We lose the risk of my deserter-housemates coming back and interrupting with their own body for the night.

We hastily exit the cab, we both fumble with paying and we settle half each, it's wordless and we work like pieces of a clock. His hand takes mine as he leads me through the labyrinth like building. He presses me against a wall besides a door with numbers on it. He pins me and I feel fearless instead of scared.

He kisses me rougher now and I dig my nails into his silky curls, moan against his lips and I'm ready to stay here for the rest of the night when he pulls back and unlocks the door.

We pant and exchange unabashed looks of lust. My stomach flips when he pushes the door open and tugs me into a dark hallway.

I'm against a wall again. He put his knee between my legs and lifts me, my legs wrap around his hips and my fingers go back to his hair.

He gets me out of my clothes, down to my panties and bra, without me ever registering my fingers leaving his hair. He's walking us.

I work on his shirt. He opens a door and we fall to his bed, giggling and rolling as he pulls his shirt over his head, I work on his trousers and admire his sculptured physic.

His mouth goes to my throat and works a path downwards. He drags his teeth and flicks his tongue in all the right places, I whine and arch my back when he reaches my still covered pussy.

He grazes his nose over the covered flesh, sniffs and groans and I go red and tangle my fingers in his hair. I pull when he drags his tongue over the material. He looks up at me, questioning with dark eyes and heavy hoods, it makes me shudder.

"What's wrong, princess?" His voice is like honey down my throat.

"You don't have to-" I can't finish with the he's looking at me, he smiles when realisation dawns on him and his fingers hook in the waistband of my panties.

"But this is where the fun lies." He purs and I'm soaked and silent and shaking.

He removes the barrier and let's out a guttural moan when I'm revealed to him. My skin breaks out into goosebumps and I feel as if I could cum just from the sound.

"You are gorgeous." It's not flattery, it doesn't sound like flattery, his words drool and my stomach knots and my skin tingle so when he kisses all the way down my lips and back up. He doesn't comment on the hair that had been left to grow. Doesn't say anything.

Simply moans and pushes my legs wider before he dives in with abandon.

I writher and arch and squirm beneath his ministrations. Cry and tangle my fingers and push him deep as his tongue commands my clit like a conductor with his orchestra.

I whine and feel the first sparks of my oncoming orgasm when his fingers slip inside of my soaking pussy and work like a protégé pianist working his favourite piano.

Working over well remembered keys.

I cum with his mouth around my clit and fingers in my pussy. I'm loud and I don't think I've ever experienced something so intense and so pleasurable before.

He works me through my aftershocks. Coos to me while he works his way back up to my lips and I'm completely at his mercy when his mouth is on mine and I can taste myself on his tongue while he works my bra off and then his fingers are working my nipple, massaging my breast and _he's_ right there.

Hard and _big_ and I let my legs fall open for him. He works slow, teases as he rubs between my lips before he taunts me with just his head.

He's masterful and unlike anyone else I've ever experienced. I whine when he finally gives in to my pleads for me.

I'm shameless as he pushes in and fills me completely. He's unlike anything I've ever had before. He's ecstasy and I'm addicted.

He waits for me to adjust to his size, uses his skilled fingers on my clit until I encourage him to move and he move in just the right way, hits just the right spot while his mouth sucks deep brusies to my collarbones and breasts, suckles on my nipples and battles my tongue for dominance.

My second orgasm crashes around us without warning. I'm moaning and then I'm screaming, begging for more and sucking him deeper. Where I _need_ him.

He cums afterwards. Buried deep and kissing me.

Unlike anything I'd ever had before.

 


	3. Morning After The Night Before.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something sparks between the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Without Beta.

* * *

_Valerie_.

Soft sheets rustle over my skin as I stretch beneath them, my eyes flutter open as the stream of sunlight pours over my face. I'm not in my bed and the vague familiarity of a hangover dance over the edges of my head.

I feel oversensitive to the light, rolling to cover my face. Squeezing my eyes shut as I stretch greedily into the empty bed. Considering going back to sleep.

I decide against it after a moment of temptation, sitting gingerly up.

Covers fall down my naked body and the cool air raises goosebumps along my skin. I scan the room for my clothes that had been hastily forgotten last night.

I see my skirt's neatly folded on a hanger on a chest of drawers across the room. My shoes aren't on the floor and I don't see any other item of clothing. My phone buzzes on the top of the chest, besides my skirt.

I look around the room, spacious and large with two shut doors, one with a bright yellow sticky note stuck to it, and a slightly ajar third one, this one leads out to a hallway. I suppose he left it open so I wouldn't walk into a wardrobe by mistake.

I brave getting out of bed naked. Cool air harsh against my skin as I cross the room and pick up my phone. I curl my toes into the thick black carpet beneath my feet as I do.

**09:05a.m. Sunday January 6th.**

The majority of my notifications are my housemates chatting back-and-forth in our group chat about their conquests last night. Nothing I couldn't keep waiting a few hours. There's a text from my sister, her daily routine of telling me every little detail my niece had gotten up to the previous day.

A pang in my chest settles once I see it and I hastily clear it. To be looked at later. _Privately_.

I put my phone down and reach for the bright pink sticky note sitting besides it.

' _Top in the wash, had some drink spilt on it from last night. Dressing gown or shirt and shorts are in the cupboard with the sticky note.'_ I pad across the room to the door with the sticky note attached to it and pull open the door, hanging on the inside of the door are said clothes.

The dressing gown's a rich red and fluffy, obviously meant for a tall man, it would be far too big for me to wear. Ridiculously so.

The shirt's far too big too but not a tripping hazard, I pull the soft material over my head, rolling my eyes when it reaches dow to the middle of my thighs. Almost my knees.

I walk back over to my phone and check that I'm not too much of a mess in the mirror hanging on the wall above the chest.

Once satisfied I leave the room and step into the dark hallway.

There's a door immediately opposite, door shut, I ignore it. There's another door down the hallway, it's slightly ajar so I can see it's a bathroom, or at least I can see a partly hidden toilet and sink. I walk the opposite direction of the bathroom.

I passed another closed door before I came to the hall. There's a shoe rack and coat rack directly above it and a stand full of umbrellas by the front door. I frown at the yellow wellies meant for little kids.

There's a matching raincoat in the rack above and a yellow umbrella sitting amongst the black ones.

"They belong to my daughter." I turn at the sound of his voice. I remember it from last night, it sounded like honey. It feels like honey this morning.

"I'm not a random pervert." He adds humorously, I turn and smile at him, it's awkward but it's not a tense atmosphere, it's an amused one. We both know this isn't how one-night-stands go.

"A daughter? How old?" I ask, clearing my throat as he chuckles and leans against the doorway he's standing in. I try not to feel a certain way from his appearance.

Messy sex hair, naked except from a pair of black silk boxers that hang low on his hips, I try to ignore the fact he looks like a model from a Calvin Klein add.

"Lizzy's six, she _loves_ giraffes, if you ask her about them you'll probably end up loving them by the time she's done talking. She lives with her mum, who I am divorced from and did not cheat on with you last night. Do I pass the sleaze test?" He asks, adding a smirk at the end as I try not to smile back, try not to react to him. It's near impossible.

My stomach rumbles, gives me away and he laughs and pushes off of the doorframe.

"Come on, Milady, let me put some food in that belly before you run off." He turns and goes into, what I assume is, the kitchen and I follow, I don't think he's going to murder me and if he's crazy, he's cute enough to forgive.


	4. Pancakes? Pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a slow and painfully long wait for an update!
> 
> Without Beta.

* * *

_Tom._

"Explains a lot, didn't really think yellow was your colour." She teases as we enter the kitchen, her voice is like chocolate, just like last night, it sends shivers down my spine. She sits at the breakfast bar as I go to fix myself a coffee.

"Oh, you should see mine, hot pink." I say, winking at her as she snorts loudly and shakes her head, we lapse into laughter. Easy and effortless.

"What can I get you to drink? We have coffee, tea, orange juice, pineapple juice and a little bit or apple juice?" I offer, heading to the fridge as she climbs into a chair, runs her hand through her hair as she thinks. I grab the eggs and milk out the fridge while she does, set them on the counter as she asks for a coffee, I pick up the kettle and fill it up. Collect the whisk and mixing bowl from the cupboards.

"Milk? Sugar? How do you take it?" I ask, pouring out the coffee into our cups.

"Black, one sugar." I smile over my shoulder at her as I add the sugar and stir.

"And here you had me thinking you were sweet enough." I place the cup on a coaster in front of her, she winks and picks it up, blows the steam away before taking a sip.

"I think I can still rot your teeth." She responds teasing as I chuckle and sip my own, lapsing into that same comfortable silence from moments ago, regarding each other with a curious amusement.

"So, do you only have a daughter?" She asks, looking around the room and catching sight of all the family photos pinned all over the walls and on the doors of the cupboards and fridge. I'm not a very family shy kind of person. Especially in my own home.

"Yeah, fortunately." I grab my apron and tie it round my back, heading back to the counter where the breakfast ingredients are, looking over my shoulder at Valerie who looks like she has a burning question on the tip of her tongue.

"Feel free to say whatever's on your mind." I say, measuring out flour into the mixing bowl and salt, she stays silent behind me, sips her coffee while I begin cracking eggs.

"You say _'fortunately,'_ why?" She fidgets a bit in her a seat after asking, I smile a little, unsure of how to word what I mean. It's good because we didn't raise a large family? We only had to think of Lizzy when we split up? Not two or three kids?

"If we had had more we might have tried harder to stay together, reaching a custody agreement may have been harder, we wouldn't have had an easy of a time agreeing on what's best for Lizzy if she had siblings we needed to think of too? I don't know if that makes a lot of sense." I add as Valerie shakes her head and gets up from her place at the breakfast bar. Walks over and leans on the counter besides me, watches as I whisk the ingredients together.

"Makes more sense than you'd think." She assures, smiling as she walks around me to the stove and starts prepping the pan for the batter.

"I see you know how to make pancakes." She chuckles as she walks to the fridge, pulls the door and retrieves the butter before shutting it and walking back to her spot.

"Saturday mornings, growing up, used to do pancake mornings with my dad and siblings, from six to ten in the morning. The kitchen would be a bombsite afterwards and mum would throw fit but it was bonding y'know? Memories made and shit." She explains, softly nostalgic as she picks up the ladle sat besides the mixing bowl and dips it into the thick batter.

"Sounds like a great time." She hums, pouring it into the pan and glances at me with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, that's a pretty weird thing to share with - " She trails off and shakes her head, ladle rejoining the batter as she sighs and leans back against the island, watches the batter before turning back to me.

"We haven't exactly done this whole one-night-stand thing very well, have we?" I shake my head and move to stand opposite her, cradling her face in my hands as I slip between her legs, smiling and chuckling as I lower my face to hers.

"I'm quite enjoying it, aren't you?" She shrugs playfully as our lips meet, slow and chaste, tongue sneaking past her lips to swipe across my lips and dip inside. My hands trailing down her neck and along her arms down to her hips, deepening the kiss as I lift her onto the counter, she pulls away gasping as her bare thighs make contact to the cold marble.

Pulling me back second later as her fingers tangle in my hair and teeth scrape lips. Moans fill the room as her hand drops down to my the waistband of my sweats. Slipping lower to palm my growing erection, grunting against her lips as I haphazardly thrust against her hand.

"Y'know," Our mouths slip apart, breath mingling as we pant and her hand continues her teasing.

"I don't remember you being quite - " The buzzer cuts me off, Valerie laughs as she rests her head against mine, noses nuzzling as her hand retreats from my straining cock.

"You get rid of them and I'll still be here when you get back." She smirks, reaching inside of my pants to adjust my cock to my waistband, hiding my erection for the most part, sharing one last kiss before I push away and head towards the door. The taste of bittersweet coffee on my lips as I go.


	5. Knock Knock, Let Me In.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without Beta.

* * *

Valerie.

I watch him go, smirking a little and smiling to myself once he's gone. Cheeks flushed as the moment catches up to me.

What on earth am I doing? Something reckless, but I like it and don't want to stop.

The burning smell catches up with my thoughts too. I cuss under my breath and jump down from the counter and rush to turn off the stove. Shit!

Burnt, but we still have plenty of batter left. I hear Tom at the door, muffled voices and then protests, footsteps.

I turn around with the pan in hand, smiling and ready to crack a joke.

Joke gets lost in my throat, instead of Tom in the doorway a girl stands there instead.

"Daddy! There's a lady in the kitchen!" She's smiling at me, despite ratting me out, I smile back at her. She waves, I wave back with my fingers and stare at Tom as he appears behind the little girl, shocked looking woman following behind. Amused man behind shocked woman.

I flush and become hyper aware of how much skin I have on show, how I must look wearing his shirt with a frying pan in my hand.

"Charming." Her voice is sarcastic as she walks away from the show and calls the little girl to follow, Lizzy. The man follows and Tom and I are left alone.

I put the pan back on the stove and clear my throat, cross my arms over my chest and lean back against the counter.

"Your daughter?" I ask, he nods with a slight cringe, leans against the doorframe.

"Ex-wife?" Continues to nod and runs his hand over his face.

"Ex-wife's new boyfriend?" Nod, nod, nod, three for three. I smile and laugh a little at his embarrassed expression, he looks up at me surprised by my laughing.

"I'm glad you're finding it funny." He says, trying to sulk, trying to be sarcastic but finds my laughter infectious and fails.

"I'm sorry, genuinely, but come on, bit of a romcon moment." I say, laughing, he laughs too.

"Tom? We found it so we're going to head off now," She comes stands in the doorway, looks between our laughing forms and looks like she wants to say something but doesn't, turns to me.

"It was nice meeting you - ?"

"Valerie." She glances at Tom, unreadable expression and then smiles back at me.

"Nice meeting you, Valerie. I hope we meet again." She adds before patting Tom's shoulder and leaves. The sound of the front door opening and shutting follows shortly after.

"I think that counts as a mood killer, right?" I ask as Tom nods and groans, rubbing his hands over his face.

"It's okay, we can still have pancakes." I say, he looks at me through the gaps of his fingers and looks as if he might murder me. I burst out laughing again.


	6. Maybe We'll Be Like Those People In Those Hollywood Films.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without Beta.

* * *

_Valerie._

I keep his shirt, he doesn't try to take it so I keep it. The pancakes had been amazing but it was getting later and I had to go so he walked me to the door after calling me a cab, he's smiling and I think I love his smile the most. Dazzling.

We lurk on his doorstep, not quite sure how to say goodbye, a hug feels weird, a kiss doesn't sound appropriate, handshake out of the question. This isn't how a one-night-stand is meant to end, with the man seeing you off with his shirt after calling you a cab, I suppose it's a better ending. Maybe.

"Is it too much to say I hope I see you again?" He asks, still smiling, maybe a bit bashful, god I wish I could kiss him all over again. I laugh and shake my head, smile back.

"No, I hope we see each other again." I admit, we don't take it any further, I don't think either of us are ready for anything further, this was good but I don't think it would stay as good.

"Hmm," He's quiet for a moment before he steps closer and leans down, meeting my lips with his, it's one of the best kisses of my life, he cups my jaw with his hand and holds my waist with the other, his thumb smooths over my cheek, I think I'm in heaven. _No way do normal people just kiss like this_.

He pulls back and we're both breathless, smiling, my cheeks are flushed and his hair is somehow dishevelled, I bite my lip and taste his coffee, sweeter. He watches and looks a little tormented as he does, good.

My phone buzzes, alerting us to the presence of the cab downstairs, we stare a little sadly at the notification, the clock turning midnight for Cinderella and her Prince.

"I'll see you around." I say with no idea how true it is, he smiles and nods, we kiss once more, shorter and more bitter than sweet, I leave and he watches me go.

I think and hope, as I slide into the cab, his shirt around my shoulders and the taste of his lips on mine, that maybe we'll be like those people in those Hollywood films. The classic couple who are opposites but just can't get away from each other, I hope we are.

I think of the phantom presence of his thumb on my cheek and hand on my waist, I hope I run into him again, in a bakery or coffee shop, he buys me a coffee and we talk, smiling and talking knowing we'll see each other again and again until we have to be together.

I hope but I know it futile. We'll probably never see each other again and if we do then it'll be wrong, in some way.

I drift off on the drive back, head against the window and I dream of his hands on me and my hands on him, I think he'll be harder to quit than I'd like to admit, maybe it's because he's beautiful.

Maybe it's because he makes amazing pancakes?

The world works mysteriously, my phone pings again, mum asking if I'll be making an appearance at Sunday lunch, I'm happier with remembering last night than answering her.


	7. So?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without Beta.

* * *

_Valerie._

 "Valerie! You decided to show up!" Mum greets upon opening the door  and finding me on the step, I smile the best I can but I already regret showing up. I can hear the chatter in full swing inside the house as she hugs me as warmly as she can and leads me inside.

It's the usual busy Sunday lunch fanfare. Mum's taken on too much to do and has roped in Corey and Shelia into helping her, Corey takes my offered bottles of red wine and Shelia compliments my outfit with a knowing eye, I silence her with the promise to tell her every last detail later, she giggles and delights in the promise. Dad's holed up in the living-room playing with his three grandchildren, Corey's twins and Ava's daughter.

"Hey, V." Dad greets me, grinning as his lips meet my cheek and he hugs me, warm and tight. It makes me happier to be here.

Ruben and Patrick greet me with excited hugs and begging to join in on their game, I promise I will once I've seen everyone, Chloe's too young to greet me with as much excitement but she giggles and babbles her place on dad's lap and I pinch her cheeks and kiss her head before I go in search of Ava.

She's in the garden, sneaking in the cigarette she always says she's going to quit, I stand besides her and take it when it's offered, once a New Year.

"Happy New Year." She says quietly, blowing puffs of silver smoke into the world as I smile and say it back, I look at the frosty garden and wonder when we'll ever get back to things being normal between us.

"Hey - Oh, I didn't know you were coming, Valerie." Griffin says, somewhat awkwardly as he stands besides Ava. I smile at him as best I can as I hand the cigarette back to Ava, blowing smoke from my mouth as I run a hand through my hair and turn to go back inside.

"Hey, you don't have to leave," Ava says, reaching her hand out to stop me, I look between them, Griffin's arm wrapped around her waist and the way she naturally leans into him.

"Yeah, I do." I say, pushing the backdoor open and stepping back into the busy warmth. I take a second to shake myself off and it takes a second before I'm spotted by Corey and Shelia who call me over to help with the cooking. I tie my hair up and grab an apron without thinking.

Helping Core peel and chop the vegetables as Shelia fills me in on all the gossip of her life, how her the party she went to on New Year's was crap and the guy she hooked up with wasn't really a great choice, she has me and Corey laughing in minutes and it's easy to forget about Griffin and Ava.

It's easy to just feel like a normal person again. Even if it does only last a few seconds. Mum comes and goes, takes things out of the freezer and checks several things that are littered around the oven and stove, when she's gone for a longer amount of time, playing with the kids and talking to Griffin and Ava, Corey and Shelia steal the opportunity to grill me about why I've shown up to Sunday lunch in not only in last night's half removed makeup but also a men's shirt.

I give when they threaten to draw these facts to the attention of mum and tell them about Tom, skipping out the part where his ex-wife and daughter showed up, and his amazing cooking skills. Shelia's more upset than I am when she finds out I didn't take his number and Corey eager to get every last gory detail out of me about Tom, I give them a few but we're interrupted by mum and Ava.

Their presence not only puts all talks of Tom to rest for the day but marks the start of family time. Much to my dread. Still, it's better than being at home and thinking about Tom.


End file.
